One-piece shirt-plait folder



May 14, 1929. w. E. LE ROY 1,712,962

ONE-PIECE SHIRT PLAIT FOLDER Filed Feb. 24, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet l 65 9 VMN Swot neg Mam abzi May 14, 1929. w 5 LE ROY 1,712,962

ONE-PIECE SHIRT PLAIT FOLDER File Feb. 24, 1925 4 Shets-Sheet 2 w. E. LE ROY ONE-PIECE SHIRT PLAIT FOLDER Filed Feb. 24, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 atboz mu; 5

v M y 14, 1929- w. E. LE ROY 1,712,962

"ONE-PIECE SHIRT PLAIT FOLDER Z l W- Ell Patented May 14', 1929.

UNITED s'r COMPANY, Elli ..'CAGU, LtLlLlEltl'tlitS, it. CUltlFllIlthflltUIl' 01" ILLINOIS.

Application filed li'ehi'uary 1.9%. Serial lilo. lil ltitl.

The invention relates to new and useful inrprovcnients in shirt plait folders. and more particularly to a. folder which is so formed that the plait itself may be made from one piece of material, and. wherein the parts of the folder may be separated for the insertion ol the n'iaterial.

ilhll object oi the invention is to provide a. tolder oi the above type with a treadle controlled mechanism :lior scparatinl-l the parts ol. the folder to permit the insertion {It the material. 1

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine oi? the above type with means for locking the sections of the folder in their separated position while the material is being;' placed over and into the folder, or when threading the needles.

lln the drawings which show by way ol? illustration one embodiment ol? the invention Figure 1 is a :lront View of the machine embodying the improvements;

liigr. 2 an end View oil? a portion of the machine Fig. 8 a View partly in section and partly in plan of a machine equipped with the in1- proved folder;

Fig. 1 is a sectional view on the line 44 of Fig. 3;

hi 5 is a perspective view through a por' tion of a garment having the plait formed thereon by the improved folder;

Fig. 6 is a View partly in plan and partly in section of the article formed on the :lolder;

liig. 7 is an enlarged front view of the latch mechanism, and

Fig. 8 is a view 01 the same from the end of the machine. 1

The invention includes broadly a folder for producing a one-piece shirt ii'ront, commonly l\'.11OW]1 in the trade as a llllanhattan shirt front, This shirt lront includes a folding of the edge of the garment underneath along a line parallel with the center of the tront, and also the forming oi told in the inateriah and the tucking oi the folder part underneath the plait so as to term the other side thereoi. This, in eliect. forms the plait with the sides thereo'l turned undernez'ith, but the pla-it is termed from one piece o't material. The plait so formed may be provided with a :lacing strip on the in or underside thereof. The :iolder is made in sections which are movable laterally relative to each other in order to make the told in the body of the material and thus form one side of the center Plait. These sections ol the lioldcr are so mounted that they may be moved relative to each other to aid n the insertion oi the materiah and the movable section is preferably controlled by a trcadlc; so that the operator by stepping on the treadle, may separate the sections, and then after placing the material on and in the folder, release this movable section, so as to enable the inii'oldingi; of the material for the center plait.

The machine to which the invention is ap plied may be oi? any desired construction, but should.preferably be oi a two-needle type forming two spaced parallel lines 01 stitchme;

In the drawings the machine shown as consisting of a bed plate 1 carrying the overhanging arm 2 in. which a needle bar 3 reciprecates, which needle bar carries two needles, at and 5. A. suitable complemental stitch forming mechanism cooperates with these needles so as to form two independent lines of stitching. The cloth plate is indicated at 6. The material is held on the cloth plate by a presser foot 7 of the usual construe-- tion. The PlQl-iSOl toot is provided with two needle openings 8 and 9 adapted to receive the needles 4: and 5, respectively. The needles are shown as arranged in a line diagonal to the line oi? feed. so that indepei'idcnt threaded loopers may be arranged below the cloth plate for cooperating with these needles. The center plait folder comprises two sections 10 and 11. The section 10 includes an edge turniim; member 12, which turns one edge of the material from which the center plait is termed about the hollow core 13 through which the reinforcing; strip is led. This edge turning member is rigidly mounted on the base i'neinber 1 1-. thud base member it is secured. to the cloth plate (5 by means of screws 15 15. The base member 14 also carries a shelving or rest plate 16 which is provided with an opening 17, 17 through which the s rews 15 may be reached tor turning the same into the cloth plate. The material to be folded to form the center plait rests on and moves longr this sl'ielving or rest plate 16, and its free ed e'e extends across the core 13 and is turned by the edge turning member 12 underneat said core. .ln Figures 5 and 6 ol the drawinger the article produced on the folder is shown in detail. Said article consists of a body fabric 18 and the edge 19 thereof is turned. underneath at 20 by this edge turning member 12. The opposite side 21 of the center plait is formed by making a fold in the body fabric about the other edge of the hollow core 13'. This is accomplished by an edge turning member 22 which is a part of the member 11 referred to above. This meinber 11 is carried by an arm ..3 and is secured theretoby means of an angle bracket 2% attached to the arm by screws 25, 25. The arm 23 is pivoted at 26 to a bracket 27 carried by the head of the machine (see Figures 1 and 2). The arm can swing on this pivot, and when it is swung to the right, it will carry the memberll to the position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 4.- This, of course, will eripose the right-hand side of the center core 13, and allow the fabric to be laid along the shelf 16, over the core, and thefree edge of the fabric turned 7 by the turning member 12, underneath the lefthand edge of this hollow core. When the member 11 is returned to the position shown in full lines in Fig. d, the edge portion 28 of themember 11 will make a bend or fold in the material as indicated at 29 in Fig. .5 of the drawings. The upper portion of the turning member 22 extends over the core 13 and will hold the top portion of the plait fiat and smooth and prevent the edge 28- from pulling unnecessary cloth from the body fabric. This folding of the material by this edge 28 of the member 11 brings the right-hand edge of the center plait a suflicient distance underneath the center core, so that asthe formedcenter plait passes off this center core it will be secured in a folded position by the stitches s which are formed by the-right-hand needle 5. There is also a line of stitches 8 formed by the lefthand needle 4, which passes down through the folded under edge portion on the left of the center plait and secures these parts together.

A reinforcing or interlining strip 30 is preferably led through this center core 13, and this 34, 34. This guide 32 is provided with means for turnin over the ed es of the facin stri b b b 'asindieated in Fig. 5, and these overturned edges and the facing strip are so positioned relative to the center plait that the stitches s and s will pass through the facing strip and secure all the parts together.

Other means may be provided for finishing the under face of the center plait, if desired, but I prefer to use a facingstrip therefor. The facing strip isled into the guide 32 from the right-hand as viewed in Figures 1 and 3, and by a guiding member 36 which carries the same inwardly until it is in a line with the center plait l'older, at which point, the strip is turned at right angles and led llTfiU the guide 352. The reinforcing or intcrlining sl ri p is led i nlo the core 13 from the left as viewed .in Figures 1 and 3 by a guiding member 35. This center core ill is mounted on the bracket members 3?, 37 which in turn are mounted on the under side of the shelving 16 carried by the bracket member l i. The upper wall of the center core 13 extends some distance in front of the center plait folder proper, and mounted on these brackets 37, 37. The under wall of the core 13 is formed as a part of the guide The reinforcing or interlining strip for reinforcing the center plait passes along this guide 35, and when it reaches the line of feed of the machine, it is turned at right angles and passes through the core which leads the strip within the formed center plait. The member 30 is provided wit-h guiding loops 38, 38 for guiding the strip along its under face. Likewise, the member is provided with similar guiding loops 39, 39 for guiding the facing strip along the under face of this member.

As noted above, the member 11 is carried by the swinging arm 23 which is pivoted at 20 to a bracket carried by the head of the machine. A link 40 is pivoted at 4:1 to this arm 23 and at its other end is pivoted at to a le ver 43. This lever is fulcrumed at 11 on a pivot screw which is attached to the bed plate 1 of the machine. The lever intermediate its ends is attached to a coiled spring which is anchored at -16 to the bed plate of the machine. This spring nornmlly turns the lever 43 to the left, and this moves the arm 23 and the parts carried thereby to their lowermost position, or operating position in the folder. After the fabric has been laid upon the shcl l, and across the core 13 and the edge turned underneath at the left by the edge turning member 12, then the arm is released so that the spring may move the arm to the full line position in Fig. -l, and as it moves to this position, the part 28 will make a fold in the fabric and carry this fold in part, underneath the right-hand side of the core, and thus it is that the fabric is folded about the core 13 and the center plait formed.

Mounted on the lever -13 is an arm -17 which is rigidly secured to said lever 3. A link 13 is connected at its upper end to this arm 4-7 and at its lower end to a treadle or knee press lever, so that the operator can readily move the lever 13 to swing the arm 23 and thus move the section 11 of the center plait folder to the dotted line position in Fig. When the lever is swung to the position shown in full lines in the drawings, the .ever comes in contact with the adjustable sto il-9. Said lever extends beneath a bridging piece and contacts with the adj uslablc stop Vhcn the lltl lIlU

Cir

link 48 is pulled down, said link will swing the lever 4-3 until the end 51 of said lever strikes the adjustable screw 52 which. limits any further nioven'ient of the lever l3. In order to secure this lever with the parts in the dotted line position as shown in Fig. 1-, a latch 53 has been provided. Said latch is pivoted. at at to the bed plate 1 of the machine, and may be swung over the outer end of the projection 51 on the lever and lock these parts in this inoperative or negative position.

in. Figs. 7 and 55 of the drawings, 1 have shown a portion of this mechanism where it is apparent that the atch engages the end 51 of the lever 4:3 in such a way as to lock the parts. he latch may be readily released by the operator when it is desired that the part 11 shall swing to the full line position and form the right-hand side of the center plait.

FY0111 the above construction it will be ap parent that l have provided a center plait folder made in sections which may be read ily separated for the insertion of the material, and which may be locked in said separated position until the material has been placed in and on the folder, after which the movable section may be released and auton'iatically returned to proper position for completing the formation of the center plait.

it will be obvious that changes may be made in the details of construction of the center plait folder and the arrangement of parts, the essential feature consisting in the 'fOl'lIling of this center plait folder in sections, whereby said sections may be readily separated to permit the insertion of the material, and wherein said separation may be brought about by devices under the control of the operator, which may be actuated without interfering with the operator guiding the .iiiaterial into and through the folder.

In order to flatten the reinforcing or interlining strip and thereby cause the proper shaping of the plait, the outer portion of the guiding core 13 is extended and has its side edges thereof tapered outwardly as indicated at 55, in Fig. 3 of the drawing. This end is also slightly turned downwardly as shown in F 2. its the strip runs underneath this end portion, it will be flattened, and as the end portion is also located within the plai t which is passing out from the folder it will assist not only in the flattening of the reinforcing or interlining strip, but in the proper straightening of the formed plait for the stitching thereof.

llaving thus described the invention, what 1 claim as new and desire to secure by Lettors-Patent,

l. A center plait folder for sewing niacliines comprising a hollow core for guiding a flatreini'lorcing strip, a main sect-ion spaced from said h llow core and extending about one edge thereof so as to direct and infold one edge portion of a center plait about one edge of said rein'i'orci strip, means for supporting said main section in lined position, a section niovable laterally relative to said stationary main section and extending about the opposite edge of said hollow core for guiding and infolding the other edge of a center plaitabout the opposite edge of the reinforcing siri and manuallycontrolled devices for shifting said lllUVtiJlO'SOtftlOll awe y from said lined section and core to aid in the placing of the material for forming the cen ter plalt.

2. it. center plait folder for sewing niacliines crnnprising a hollow core for guiding a flat reinforcing strip. a main section spaced from said hollow core and extending about one edge thereof so as to direct and infold one ilgc portion of a. center plait about one ed go of said. reinforcing strip, a movable section extending about the opposite edge of said hollow core for guiding and infolding the other edge of a center plait about the UPPOSltO edge of the reinforcing strip, and manually controlled devices for shifting said movable section to aid in the placing of the material for forming the center plait, said manually controlled devices including a spring for norinally pressing said movable section into position for guiding and infoldin the strip forn'iing the plait.

3. A center plait folder for sewing Inachines con'iprising a center nieinber around which a strip may be folded for forming the plait, a main folding section fixed relative to said center member at one side thereof and extending about the ed e of said center member and over one side portion thereof for guiding and infolding one edge portion of the strip forming the center plait, and a movable folder section spaced from and extending over and underi'ieath the other edge portion of said center incn'ibei. for infolding the other edge of the strip forming the center plait.

4. A center plait folder for sewing inachines con'iprising a center incinber around which a strip may be folded for forming the plait, a main folding section fixed relative to said center inen'iber at one side thereof and on tending about the edge of said center member and over one side portion thereof for guiding and infolding one edge portion of the strip forming the center plait, and a movablefolder section. spaced from and extending over and underneath the other edge portion. of said center inen'iber for inilolding the other edge of the strip forming the center plait, said center member being hollow whereby a reinforcing strip 'n'iay be placed within said center plait.

5. A center plait folder for sewing niachines COIIlpllSllig a center member around which a strip may be folded for forming the plait, a main folding section fixed relative to said center member at one side thereof and inovablefolder section to aid in the placing of 6. A sewing machine including stitching mechanism having spaced needles for forming independent linesof stitching, a center plait folder comprising a hollow core for directing the-reinforcing strip to said needles, means supported in fixed position for folding one edge of the fabric underneath said core for forming one side of the center plait, a seethe strip in the folder.

' tion movable laterally relative to said core for folding the fabric around said core at the other side of said folder for forming the other side ofsaid center plait, said folded portions of the fabric being presented to the needles so that the needles pass through the respective sides of the pl ait and the reinforcing strip enclosed within the plait.

7 A sewing machine including stitching mechanism having spaced needles for forming independent lines of stitching, a center plait folder comprising a hollow core for directing the reinforcing stri p to said needles, means supported in lined position for folding one edge of the fabric underneath said core for forming one side of the center plait, a sec tion movable laterally relative to said core for folding the fabric around said core at the other side of said folder for forming the other side of said center plait, said folded portions of the fabric being presented to the needles so that the needles pass through the respective sides of the plait and the reinforcing strip enclosed within the plait, the upper wall of said hollow core being extended and having its side edges tapered out\ *ardly to flatten the reinforcing strip and straighten the formed center plait prior to the passing of the same to the stitching mechanism.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature.

\VA TEE E. LE ROY. 

